A Dragon Darker Than Black
by Starlight's Poet
Summary: "Ten years ago, I stopped being a human. Ever since, I've lived a lie. The lie of living. My history, a lie. Even this face is a lie. This is all my life is... A lie. Contractors are liars, betrayers, killers... and I, no less."
1. Volume 1: BK-201

_**Death.**_

 _ **Life.**_

 _ **They are two sides on the same coin.**_

 _ **They are equal.**_

 _ **However, what does it truly mean to live, and what does it truly mean to die?**_

 _ **Can someone who has forgotten what it means to live find the answer?**_

 _ **A phantom, lost in the endless sea, continuously sinking to the depths.**_

 _ **A roar echoes, sending ripples across the ocean.**_

 _ **And then... the future parts.**_

* * *

 **A DRAGON DARKER THAN BLACK  
**

* * *

OPENING: "Your wa Nemureru kai?" -flumpool

 _Hey_

 _Hey_

 _Hey_

 _Fukaku nemureru kai kizu wa iyashita kai?_

 _Yoru ga sabishii kara tte atari shidai ni kowasanai de_

 _Yume wo miru koto datte hoshi ga naku koto datte_

 _Shiri mo shinai mama shinde mita kke_

 _Joozu ni kakureta kai iki wa hisometa kai?_

 _Ima ga kurushii kara tte mury shite jibun kaenai de_

 _Yuukan na banjin datte nayameru kohitsuji datte_

 _Mawari michi shite ikiteru tte_

 _Yeah, Yeah_

 _Medata ni you ni_

 _Yeah, Yeah_

 _Tae rareru you ni_

 _Yeah, Yeah_

 _Shikou kairo wa mada tomenai you ni_

 _Koyoi runaway runaway uso mitai da_

 _Dare ka kono tsukande kure yo_

 _Mienai asu wa konakute ii_

 _Ima wa tada nemuritai_

 _Hey_

 _Hey_

* * *

Raynare wasn't exactly pleased with this mission she had been given. After several weeks of being left alone to her own devices with the rest of her group, she had been finally been given a mission from Azazel-sama. It was rather simple; observe the human Issei Hyoudou. She didn't really mind it, it gave her something to do in this backwater town. She didn't really think much of him. He looked rather average; brown hair and eyes, average height, nothing remarkable about him at all. She was a bit disgusted with him, though. He was one of those disgusting humans, and even worse, he was a complete and utter imbecile. He was a pathetic pervert, hopelessly believing that he would become some playboy with several women surrounding him. His friends were even more pathetic. The glasses-wearing boy wasted his time looking at women, supposedly able to tell a woman's bust size, while the bald buffoon apparently had some sort of fetish with short women.

She honestly couldn't see what made this idiot so interesting. However, it wasn't her place to question Azazel-sama. She merely followed orders, and continued to observe him. She was quickly growing bored after merely a few days, lasting a week before she started to grow irritated. She didn't see it. Why was her beloved leader so interested in this pathetic loser. There was absolutely no redeeming quality about him! No unusual ability he demonstrated, no signs of mental powers, not even possessing a speck of magic power! She couldn't understand it, but all she could do was complain about it to the others. The little brat Mittelt laughed at her for getting stuck with observing an utter moron, Dohnaseek was curious about why Azazel-sama was interested in somebody with no real ability, and Kalawarner was pondering whether or not she could have some fun with the brat when the mission ended.

During the third week of her observations, she received new orders. To her joy and immense relief, it was to eliminate him, and take what garnered Azazel-sama's interest: a Sacred Gear. The boy actually had one… one of Father's holy artifacts! It was unbelievable! To think that someone as pathetic as this perverted fool had one! It was almost an insult to her, really. She would rob the boy of his power, if it would gladly make Azazel-sama happy. She decided to play around with him, fulfilling whatever pathetic delusions he had by asking him out on a date. It was almost hilarious with how excited he looked. They had decided to meet on another day, Sunday, when he had no school to attend.

She was currently lying away in the shadows, observing herself in a window. She mentally smirked, having asked Kalawarner for a few clothes to borrow. She truly looked to be a total knock-out, her attire consisting of a short black dress with a small, light purple jacket on top. "The fool will be drooling over this," she thought aloud with glee, smirking all the while. Her plan was to drag the poor fool around, making him live out a pitiful, beautiful fantasy before allowing reality to fall into place. Once she was done admiring herself, she moved away and looked to where Issei was.

The fool had arrived early, even dressed up nicely. He wore a white jacket with dark blue trims, a dark brown polo shirt underneath with a black dress pants, along with leather brown loafers, a black belt with a silver buckle. He looked to be somewhat nervous, obviously thinking about how the date will go. Raynare giggled to herself. "What an idiot…" she muttered, looking forward to ending his miserable life. Once she was done, she could finally be on her merry way, and Azazel-sama would be pleased with her. He would shower her with affection, the love she so dearly wanted. God, she could see it now!

Her musings and dreams were cut short when her senses flared. She scowled when she felt a familiar stench in the air, glaring at the source. _'Why the hell is a Devil's familiar here?'_ she questioned, fidgeting. Had they learned about her objective? No, that couldn't be… she's taken every possible precaution. There was no way they could have known. She acted with every possible discretion. Besides, how could they know about this fool? Even she didn't know anything until Kokabiel-sama told her when he delivered Azazel-sama's orders.

She immediately became on edge when the familiar offered the boy a familiar pamphlet. She immediately became concerned, biting her lip. Dammit, this was bad. She recognized the pamphlet, it was a Summoning Contract. If the boy's desire proved to be strong enough, he'd summon a Devil immediately, and her mission would be in jeopardy. If she killed him, there was a chance he might summon the Devil in his final moments. If they knew, there was no way they'd let them go. They would reincarnate him, and if that happened, her mission would get even more complicated. Worst case scenario, Azazel-sama would not be happy. She didn't want that. She needed to find a way to get him to discard it.

Thankfully, it seemed like she didn't need to at all. After reading and examining the paper for a few minutes, Issei crumpled it up into a ball, and then tossed it away into a garbage bin. She breathed a sigh of relief. This made things easier for her. She wouldn't have to worry about him being reincarnated or anything. Poor fool didn't even realize that he had just sealed his fate! Oh well, that was enough gloating. Now it was time to execute the plan.

She put on the face of Yuuma Amano, smiling as she darted out from her hiding place, and quickly approached Issei. "Sorry I'm late!" she said, faking apology. "Were you waiting long?"

Issei appeared to be bashful, shaking his head as he offered her a smile. "No, not really." He lied to her. "To be honest, I just got here recently." Typical human move. Play it off to make them seem more appealing to human females. Absolutely pathetic. A moment later, he gave her a bright grin. It was almost disgusting. "So, you ready to start out date, Yuuma-chan?"

She nodded. "Yes!" she replied. "Let's go!" She grabbed him by the wrist, and pulled him away, all the while smirking mentally inside her head. ' _I suppose I can have a little fun with you…'_ she thought as they began their "date." _'I hope you enjoy it, loverboy…'_

* * *

 _My name is Issei Hyoudou. I'm a second-year student at Kuoh Private Academy, a prestigious institution that was once an all-girls academy up until two years ago. I'm an average student, living an average life, with a few oddball friends._

 _Everyone always avoids me. It's not just me, either. Everyone at school tries to avoid my and my friends. I don't blame them. We're a bunch of weirdoes after all. We're guys who love women in the most eccentric of ways. It's because of that love that I accepted Yuuma-chan's proposal for a date. I made sure that everything was as perfect as possible. I even dressed up for the occasion. I wanted to make this date rather... memorable, for us._

 _The date started out rather normally. Yuuma-chan dragged us all around Kuoh, going to her favorite places. Clothing stores, malt shops, everything that had caught her fancy. She made it clear that she was focused on me, as no matter the glances sent her way, she never returned them. Through out the date, she kept her eyes on me. She also wasn't afraid to show off her more 'extravagant' parts either. The sweets weren't so bad, but I would have preferred more greasy stuff. I was never really a big fan of sweets, but I wasn't stupid enough to turn down an offer._

 _By the end of the date, Yuuma-chan was smiling brighter and brighter. We had one final place to go before we ended things here. She said she wanted to go to the public park. I sort of understood why. Not many people go here, and it's very quiet. It's nice and peaceful. It's also where I like to go star gazing when I have the time. I could tell that Yuuma-chan was at her climax of happiness._

 _I was sure that this moment would be unforgettable to her._

* * *

"I had a lot of fun today, Issei-kun..." Raynare told him, keeping her back facing him while looking at her reflection in the water. Her smile was present, cruel and cold with a sinister glint in her eyes. She was telling him the truth, the date had been fun. It was so nice to drag him along and play around with him like a damned fool. He had no idea what was happening, no idea what was going on. His last memories were going to be so bittersweet, it would be something to relish in. She would burn the face of his agony into her mind, and watching him suffer in his last moments while trying to understand just what reality had been given to him. "I really enjoyed our date."

"R-really...?" the poor bastard replied shyly. "I-I'm glad...!"

Raynare repressed a gag. God, could you be any more pathetic? Oh well, it was time to end this show anyway. "Say..." she said, still facing forward. "There's something I really wanted... a wish, you might say. Will you grant me that wish?"

"Of course, Yuuma-chan! Just name it!"

Her smirk grew. She slowly turned around, revealing her true face to him.

 _'Good-bye.'_

"...will you die for me?"

Before Issei had time to react, Yuuma brought up her hand, and a burst of light struck him dead in the chest. He was swept off his feet, thrown into the air for a few seconds before sliding to the ground. His eyes were closed, mouth agape, and a scorch mark right over his chest, where the heart would be. The woman grinned with glee as she leaned back, sitting atop the rim of the fountain. Honestly, this was easier than she thought it would. It was rather pathetic, really. How exactly was this kid a threat? He didn't even look much, hell he was probably the most pathetic and idiotic person alive!

"So easy," Yuuma, or rather, Raynare, giggled as she cradled her face in her hand, admiring the sight of his corpse. "He wasn't anything special at all. How could someone like this be a threat? He didn't even put up a fight!"

"Oh, he will." a voice called out. Raynare's eyes widened, her head whirling around to find the source. "And just so you know, that jacket isn't just a fashion statement." She turned behind her, and found a black cat hanging atop a wall, bearing violet eyes and a red collar with a golden bell. "It's Light-Proof." the cat informed her, almost smirking if it could, as it jumped off the wall. Raynare was stunned before the information registered, and her eyes widened, whirling around.

The body was gone.

No sooner had she turned did a knife come flying at her. She quickly moved back, wincing as it slashed the skin underneath her eye, forming a bleeding scar below her eye. As the knife whizzed past, embedding itself into a nearby wall, she turned sharply to find the flapping backside of a familiar white jacket. A snarl escaped her as she lowered herself, black mist forming behind it. It solidified a second later, forming into feathery black wings. "Your not getting away!" she roared as her wings performed a flap, and her body took to the skies. She was quick to go after him, soaring across the orange skies in pursuit of her target. It wasn't long before she found the form of Issei's retreating back, quickly moving through the alleyways. "Tch, damned human...!" Raynare snarled. Dammit, what the hell was going on?! A light resistant jacket? When the hell did that come into fashion?! Moreover, why did he have such a thing?! Where did he acquire it? All the data showed him to be incompetent, a perverted idiot who couldn't do anything! None of this made sense!

Why was she even thinking about this? It wouldn't matter if he's running or why he had such a thing. He was a human, a lowly pathetic creature who wouldn't be able to do a damned thing. There was no way he would be able to defend himself... he'd die when she caught him, and Azazel-sama would be pleased. If what the intel was to be believed, the idiot actually had something of value, a powerful Sacred Gear. If Azazel-sama wanted it, she would take it.

As Issei whirled about through the next corner, Raynare let out a dark smirk. The fool... he walked right into a dead end! She had him!

However, before she could dive after him, she suddenly felt a massive weight fall on her. "Mnrgh?!" she grunted as her body suddenly dived, slamming into the ground below her. She fell right on top of an old building, colliding back first. She screamed in pain as the fall bent one of her wings in the wrong direction, the bones snapping, left at an odd angle. She laid there, flat on her stomach, groaning from the pain of the impact. She felt disoriented, dazed. What in the hell was that just now? And... what the heck happened? Why does her body feel so...

"Just as planned," a calm voice spoke beside her. Her eyes widened, her head craning to the left. Leaning against the railing was one of Issei's pathetic loser friends, Motohama. He certainly looked as bland and boring as his photograph suggested, wearing an average buttoned shirt with a pair of glasses over his face. His hands remained in his trousers, seemingly not at all bothered by the fact that she was sporting a pair of black wings. His hair was rather messy and unkempt, but in spite of his overall posture, something about him seemed off... and even stranger, his body was outlined by a bright blue light. "Though it was a bit over-theatrical." he commented as he pushed up his glasses, revealing gray eyes with shining red pupils.

Raynare's eyes went wider, shock overtaking her. You had to be kidding... this brat... He was a-?!

"Come on, you know Issei's got a thing for the theatrical." another voice commented. Walking out from behind the entrance leading up to the roof which they currently stood atop was another of Issei's perverted associates, Matsuda. He was wearing a sleeveless red shirt and worn out jeans, revealing a well-toned body, and his head cleanly shaved with little hair remaining atop his dome. A cynical smile was on his lips as he walked forward, also not bothered by Raynare's appearance. "Besides, you gotta admit, this was funny to see." he grinned as he turned to the side. "Still, kinda risky for you to be taking a hit like that. You sure you don't got a death wish we should know about, Issei?"

Raynare felt shock run through her body as Issei stepped into her field of vision. His face was void of any emotion. No longer was the cheerful, bright, and vibrant perverted teen that she had tricked into going on a date with her. His eyes were cold and empty, bearing only a chilling menace that stared right back into her. He glared down at her, igniting a furious light in her breast. How dare this pathetic human look down on him?! How dare he trick her like this?! Once she was free of whatever was restraining her, she was going to obliterate this fool! She would tear him limb from-

"Ah, ah, ah~" Motohama chuckled as the red light in his pupils grew brighter. A second later, her body felt even heavier, forcing her futher into the ground. "No struggling."

Matsuda whistled as he folded his arms. "For a guy who's as calm and cool as the water, you sure are dominating man."

"Y-you pathetic, lowlife..."

None of them made a reply. Instead, Issei walked over to her, and flicked a knife, the same one that had nearly struck her, into his hand. he stepped in front of her, and brought up his foot. The next second, a crunch was heard, and following it, a cry of pain. "...I want answers, Raynare." Issei said coldly, his tone changed. What used to be an innocent and bright boy was now a terrifying and chilling tone that promised only death to those who heard it. "Who ordered you to kill me?" Raynare gave no response to his question. She was cringing and writhing in pain, squirming underneath the pressure that Issei was putting into, as his foot remained sharply on her hand. Whet it became clear that she would not answer him, he sighed as he closed his eyes, and twirled the blade in his hand, his other hand reaching out, and firmly took hold of one of her wings.

That elicited a response from her. "Wait, what are you-?!" She was cut off when Issei jammed the blade straight into her back, right where her wings met her flesh. She screamed out in agony. Her body shook and thrashed about, trying to escape Motohama's grasp as the blade continued to tear away at her flesh. Blood gushed beneath her clothing, some of it seeming into her black feathers, creating a dark red tint. As he did this, Issei applied more pressure on her hand, crushing more of her bonds found in her limb before he pulled.

Raynare screeched out loudly, howling with rage, suffering, and agony as Issei slowly, and brutally, pulled out her right wing.

Meanwhile, his two friends calmly looked on, as if unbothered by the horror they were witnessing. Motohama merely adjusted his glasses as the red glow remained in his eyes while Matsuda took out a box of pocky from his pocket and quietly ate one.

Eventually, what seemed to be an eternity to Raynare, Issei had cut out the black feathered wing from her shoulder blade.

"I'm only going to repeat once more...who ordered you to kill me?" Issei questioned coldly.

Raynare gritted her teeth, tears flowing down her face while her lip trembled. "...K-Kokabiel...!"

At this statement, the eyes of the three males only grew colder. Kokabiel...the warmonger of the Grigori.

Issei closed his eyes. "...I see." he said before he put glared back down at her. "And where is the package?"

Raynare froze.

"Where," he pressed further, cradling his knife in his hand. "is the package?"

"I...I don't know what you're talking about!" She denied.

"Is that so..."

Raynare screamed in pain when a blade jammed into her hand. "I'll ask one more time," he said again, this time more forcefully. "Where is the package?"

The Fallen Angel slowly lifted her head up, fighting back against the unknown force that pressed her down. "You...can...go to hell!" She spat venomously.

Issei sighed, shaking his head as he pressed his free hand against his ear. "Yin," he said into the communicator. "Any movement?"

 **[...they've passed the Point A mark,]** a quiet, emotionless voice responded. **[Three minutes.]**

"Well, guess that's that." Matsuda looked down by his feet, finding the black cat right beside him, flicking it's tail. "No time to spare. Time to get going." Motohama nodded as the light around his body and eyes faded. Raynare gasped as her body was finally released from her heavy prison. The teen adjusted his glasses, recreating the white glare as he removed himself from the railing, walking over to where Matsuda and the cat was. Issei walked around Raynare, walking toward them as well before he paused, his steps halting. The action did not go unnoticed, the three looking at him curiously as he looked back at Raynare.

The woman froze as his brown eyes bore deep into her eyes. She knew what was about to happen, and suddenly felt fear running through her body. "W-wait!" she cried, desperate. If she could make him lower his guard, she would be able to eliminate him, and use him against his comrades, and end them quickly. This way, she could take what Azazel-sama wanted, and get rid of future potential threats as well. Two birds, one stone. "I can't tell you anything about the package! I-I don't know anything about it! I'm just a low-ranking member! D-Dohnaseek, he's the leader! He knows more! I-if you let me live, I can make a deal with him!"

Issei paused in his advance. His face showed no emotion. "...a rational proposal." he remarked. "I wouldn't have guessed that from a Fallen Angel." Raynare inwardly scowled from that crude remark, but she refused to show her annoyance. She would even swallow her pride if it meant her survival. As soon as he let his guard down... "However..." Issei cut her off. "We all know that this Dohnaseek isn't the one calling the shots."

Panic started to settle in. "N-no, your wrong!" she denied, shaking her head. "He's the leader of the group! Kokabiel-sama was the one who appointed him to lead us!"

"...and?" Issei asked. "Who're the rest?"

"T-two other Fallens...!" she said quickly. That was it, she almost had him...! "A Power named Mittelt, a-and a Principality named Kalawarner!"

"She's telling the truth, Issei." the cat informed the brunette. "Dohnaseek is a Virtue, thus he's of a higher rank than them."

Issei looked at the cat for a few seconds before nodding in understanding, and turning back to Raynare. "...it seems you were being truthful." he said. Raynare smiled shakily. As soon as he turned his back...! "I guess I should thank you for that..."

Suddenly, his hand lashed out, and grabbed her face, his fingers digging into her skull. "Issei!" the cat cried in protest, clearly not approving of this action. Raynare, however, felt fear rushing through her as she saw Issei's eyes overcome with disgust, and loathing.

"...disgusting," he hissed. "Looking at you makes me want to puke."

Raynare couldn't speak. She was too afraid to. She felt that even if she so much as twitched, he'd kill her in an instant. The killing intent radiating off of Issei was unlike anything she has seen.

"It's true you are a Fallen Angel...just as it is true that we're humans...however, what right do you have to treat us 'lowly' humans as if we're vermin and tools to be used?" He spat venomously. "What right do you have to kill us whenever you feel like it? What right do you have to toy with us as if we're your playthings...?!"

The grip over her face was tightening. The bones in her skull creaked, looking ready to break.

"Issei!" the cat snapped again, but he didn't listen.

Issei's eyes glowed red, and a blue outline danced around his body. A second passed, and Raynare let out a muffled scream.

* * *

"...yare, yare..." Motohama complained as he shook his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "We go to all that trouble to try and extract information from her, and you go and kill her."

Issei didn't respond. Instead, he calmly flipped through the magazine in his hands, staring blankly at the erotic images each page held, revealing women in skimpy outfits, either dressed up as bunny girls, swimsuits, or even bath towels. Matsuda merely continued to eat a stick of pockey, and the cat sat atop the railing. The four were currently at the overpass where Raynare had asked Issei out on a date, looking rather relaxed.

"Kinda brutal of ya," Matsuda said, a smile present on his face. "And here I thought you didn't have any emotion left in ya. But, I do gotta ask... do you have to read that out in public?"

"I have to," he replied blandly. "It's my Payment, after all." He glanced back at him out of the corner of his eye. "What about you? You didn't use your power, so why are you eating pockey?"

"I can't help it. I just like it too much." Matsuda cheekily replied as he bit into another one.

"Its still pretty surprising..." Motohama stated offhandedly. "the track star of our school eating junk food."

"Meh. I have a fast metabolism. So eating this won't hurt my performance."

"Well, at any rate..." the cat sighed, noticing that the conversation was straying away from the current topic. "At least we know who's leading this outfit, and who's backing it. Still, I wonder why they targeted Issei in the first place?"

"It was likely because of the Sacred Gear." Issei replied, flipping through another page. "Kokabiel either wanted to get rid of a potential threat, or take it for whatever goal he has in mind. At least, that's the rational thing to think. After all, it is one of the thirteen."

"Yeah. I still can't believe you are one of the rare few with the potential to kill a God." Matsuda chuckled.

"Keyword: Potential. As far as we know, there was no Longinus Possessor that was able to kill a God, even one that was weakened from the loss of their pantheon." Issei reminded.

"Even still, it's a rare weapon," the cat interjected, flicking it's tail. "One that will be of good use. Anyway, our top priority is to retrieve the package before Kokabiel gets his hands on it."

"Maa, what a pain..." Matsuda whined. "So much work to do..."

"Why are you complaining?" Motohama interjected. "You didn't even do anything. Me and Issei did all the work, and thanks to you being a lazy bastard, my eyesight is all fucked up, so yeah, thanks for that."

"Hey, not my fault that's your price." the bald teen snarked. "So, what now? We just sit and wait?"

"That appears to be the best course of action."

"Yin said that the the rest of the Fallen had passed the Point A mark. It's only a matter of time before they cross our location. Depending on our luck, they may be in possession of the package already." Issei said.

Matsuda groaned. "Greaaat... so we might have to take it from them by force? What a hassle."

"You complain too much," Motohama chided. "Come on, let's go. We've got a lot of work to do tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah..."

The two Contractors left the overpass, moving away. Issei, however, stayed behind as he continued to flip through the magazine. He paused when he came across a page showing a beautiful woman with red hair, and a large bust. "...red hair, huh?" he muttered absent-mindedly, his thoughts going back to the woman he crossed paths with a few days ago. "I wonder..."

"Something up, Issei?"

"...no." he said as he closed the magazine, slipping it into his bag. "It's nothing, Mao." He moved away from the railing, and turned on his foot. Waiting for him at the end of the overpass was a young girl who looked no older than fourteen or fifteen, having pale silver hair and beautiful, violet eyes. Her hair was tied back into a bushy tail, wearing a black and purple dress, a tie keeping her hair in place.

"...Issei."

The boy's eyes softened. "...Yin." he greeted. "I told you not wait for me."

"I'm sorry." She apologized.

Issei sighed. What was he going to do with this girl? He scratched the back of his head before moving forward. He gently patted the girl atop the head, smiling somewhat. "Come on," he said. "Let's go home." Yin nodded, and followed him close behind. Mao followed after them, all the while staring at the brunette. The boy was a loose cannon at times, and while it seemed like he acted on his own, he was actually going about the orders in a different manner. It was clear that Raynare was hoping for him to lower his guard and strike when the chance opened up. Even still, there must have been some information they could have gotten out of them.

Oh well, not that it mattered now. All that was left was to retrieve the package, and await further orders.

After all, tomorrow is another day.

* * *

 _My name is Issei Hyoudou. I'm a second-year student at Kuoh Private Academy, a prestigious institution that was once an all-girls academy up until two years ago. I'm an average student, living an average life, with a few oddball friends._

 _At least... that's the truth that others know of._

 _My life has been nothing but lies. For the last ten years, that has all my life has been: a lie. Every hour of every day, I live in a life of deceit, fooling everyone with this perverse persona that makes others think of me as someone else, someone other than the person who lives in a world different from them._

 _I told you before that my name was Issei Hyoudou, a second-year student at the prestigious Kuoh Private Academy, and an average student leading an average life... that too is a lie._

 _Contractors are liars, betrayers, killers... and I, no less._

 _My name... is BK-201, the Red Dragon Emperor. The Black Reaper._

 _And I am a Contractor._

* * *

Life 0: BK-201

* * *

 _ **Dossier Files:**_ **  
** **Name:** Issei Hyoudou  
 **Age:** 17  
 **Height:** '5, 7" ft  
 **Weight:** 137 lbs  
 **Hair:** Brown  
 **Eye** : Brown  
 **Blood Type:** AB  
 **Aliases:** The Red Dragon Emperor, The Black Reaper  
 **Dossier Code:** BK-201  
 **Ability:** Electricity Manipulation  
 **Payment:** Adult Magazine

 **Name:** Matsuda Raikeyo **  
Age:** 18 **  
Height:** '5, 8" ft **  
Weight:** 121 lbs **  
Hair:** Light Gray **  
Eye:** Green **  
Blood Type:** A- **  
Aliases:** Speed Runner, Accelerator **  
Dossier Code:** SD-808 **  
Ability:** Acceleration  
 **Payment:** Pockey

 **Name:** Motohama Shinya  
 **Age:** 18  
 **Height:** '5, 6" ft  
 **Weight:** 118 lbs  
 **Hair:** Brown  
 **Eye** : Gray  
 **Blood Type:** O  
 **Aliases:** The Gravity Master  
 **Dossier Code:** IO-010  
 **Ability:** Gravity Intensification  
 **Payment:** Damaged Eyesight


	2. Volume 1: Brewing Storm

_**The darkness parts, revealing only a figure drenched in blood, face shielded by a mask with a smile.**_

 _ **It's a false one, empty and cold like the rain that falls upon them.**_

 _ **He sees nothing beneath the mask, nor can he hear the sounds of thunder flashing overhead.**_

 _ **Beneath this false face is a cold, empty world, void of sight and sound, yet still they trudge in the darkness, seeking the illusive light.**_

 _ **And then... the blade glistens in the shadows.**_

* * *

 **A DRAGON DARKER THAN BLACK  
**

* * *

OPENING: "Yoru wa Nemureru kai?" -flumpool

 _Hey_

 _Hey_

 _Hey_

 _Fukaku nemureru kai kizu wa iyashita kai?_

 _Yoru ga sabishii kara tte atari shidai ni kowasanai de_

 _Yume wo miru koto datte hoshi ga naku koto datte_

 _Shiri mo shinai mama shinde mita kke_

 _Joozu ni kakureta kai iki wa hisometa kai?_

 _Ima ga kurushii kara tte mury shite jibun kaenai de_

 _Yuukan na banjin datte nayameru kohitsuji datte_

 _Mawari michi shite ikiteru tte_

 _Yeah, Yeah_

 _Medata ni you ni_

 _Yeah, Yeah_

 _Tae rareru you ni_

 _Yeah, Yeah_

 _Shikou kairo wa mada tomenai you ni_

 _Koyoi runaway runaway uso mitai da_

 _Dare ka kono tsukande kure yo_

 _Mienai asu wa konakute ii_

 _Ima wa tada nemuritai_

 _Hey_

 _Hey_

 _Hey_

* * *

Rias Gremory was, in a word, confused.

It concerned the events that transpired the previous night. She heard from...reliable resources...that Issei Hyoudou was supposed to go on a date yesterday. With a Fallen Angel no less. She even sent her familiar to track him. But what troubled her was what he did before their date. Her familiar handed him one of her pamphlets...but instead of keeping it, he just crumpled it up and discarded it.

Normally, she wouldn't be so worried about an underclassman. In fact, there shouldn't even be a worry. However, there were two reasons why she became involved. The first was that his date was a Fallen Angel, even worse it was the same one that has been observing him for the past couple of weeks. The second was Issei Hyoudou himself. Everyone at school knew him as one of the Perverted Trio, a group of perverts that were so perverse, it wasn't even funny. There was really nothing remotely remarkable about him... except for one fact.

He had a Sacred Gear.

That was what separated him out from just about everyone else in school. He was given a tool of God from birth. One that causes the extraordinary.

Every person who held a Sacred Gear had made some sort of impact on the world, be it good or bad. For him to have a Sacred Gear was one in a million, and she found a potential candidate. Someone that could help her out of her problem. She did feel slightly guilty, however, as if it would come to that, she would be stripping the boy of his humanity, and bringing him to her world without warning. She was willing to endure the pain and anger he would no doubt present. Anything was better than him dying. She would not allow his potential to be squandered.

Whatever plans she had swirled down the drain when she found out that he had tossed the pamphlet, his only saving grace from death. However, somehow, fate proved fortunate, as the Fallen Angel was later discovered to be dead. She only found out about it last night when Koneko was making the rounds with Sona's Queen, Tsubaki. Raynare, the Fallen that had been observing the perverted teen, had been found dead atop an abandoned apartment complex rooftop.

And her death had not been peaceful.

Her wing had be cut right out from her back. The bones in her hand were crushed while her other hand had been pinned to the ground with a knife.

But what was most disturbing was the look on her face. It was an expression of utter pain and horror. The way her limbs were sprawled about, it seemed that she suffered some sort of spasm.

The cause of death was unknown, but if she were to guess... someone had electrocuted her from the inside out, and in one quick burst, leaving no trace at all.

Rias sighed as she rubbed her temples. "This is so troublesome..." she muttered. "I'm definitely going to need an aspirin."

"Here you are, Buchou." Her friend, Akeno, held a bottle out for her.

"Thank you, Akeno."

The red-haired girl graciously took the bottle, twisting the cap open and taking a drink. The cool water was refreshing, especially with summer looming so close. "Quite the busy weekend, wouldn't you say?" Akeno said as she sat atop the desk. "We go to all that trouble to see if we can recruit an adorable kouhai, only to find out the Fallen Angel was tortured to death." A giggle escaped her. "Quite the sight~"

"Maybe," Rias shrugged her shoulders. "But what bothers me is who killed her."

"Perhaps Hyoudou-kun?" Akeno offered. Rias gave her an incredulous stare. "What? I'm just offering. You never know."

"AAAAAAAAAAH!"

"FUCK FUCK FUCK!"

"DAMMIT, I TOLD YOU GUYS THIS WAS A BAD IDEA!"

The two women blinked owlishly as they looked out the window, which held a good view of the school courtyard. Three males, none other than the Perverted Trio, were currently running for dear life as the girls of the kendo team, led by Katase and Murayama, chased after them, wooden swords in hand. It was an almost daily ocurence these days, one they were used to.

"...somehow, I doubt he could have killed her." Rias commented, rather amused by the sight of three boys being chased by what could only be described as scorned women. "Although... There is another thing that has been bothering me."

"And that would be...?"

"The Public Safety Security Bureau." she stated, earning a look of surprised. "Apparently, there was Contractor activity here in Kuoh."

"A Contractor?" Akeno questioned. "Here? In this small town?"

"Yes." The red head nodded. "I still can't believe one managed to slip into my territory without me noticing...

She was a little miffed that someone had snuck past her observation. Then again, when it came to Contractors, anything was to be expected. They were an enigma. An anomaly. An unknown factor.

Nobody was sure how they appeared, or why they existed. All anybody truly knew is that their arrival had changed everything: even the sky. What used to be a brilliant, black cape that hung over their heads, twinkling brightly for all to admire, was little more than an eerie dark sky, and small lights that would sometimes shine brilliant, and other times, fall in a streak. It had been that way for ten years, ever since the appearance of the anomaly appeared over in Tokyo. She planned on visiting it during their school's next field trip, if they ever went to Tokyo, and see for herself what exactly this anomaly was.

For now, however, she had to deal with the current problems. Issei Hyoudou was still alive, somehow, and there was a Contractor in her territory, and they brought the police with them as well. 'We're going have to be cautious...' she thought deeply before taking another drink from the bottle Akeno gave her.

She got the feeling that things were going to be... interesting.

* * *

"I keep forgetting how hard Katase and Murayama hit..." Motohama groaned as he rubbed the back of his head. "Remind me again, why did we decide to choose these particular aliases?"

"Because despite the fact we've only got rationality," Matsuda replied, lying on his back with a stick of pockey in his mouth. "We obviously have some irrationality too."

Issei didn't reply to Motohama's questioning. Instead, he simply looked out at Kuoh from their viewpoint; the school rooftop. His eyes narrowed as he felt his gut instinct telling him something.

"Hm? Is something up, Issei?" Motohama asked him.

"...it's nothing." he told him. "In the meantime, do we know when the package is stated to arrive?"

"Supposedly, it's supposed to arrive today." Matsuda answered. That was what Mao told them earlier.19h agoTheir orders were simple: retrieve the package, and ensure it did not fall into the Grigori's hands. There was little information about what this package was, but from Issei could tell, it was a Sacred Gear, like his own. Their orders were simple: retrieve the package, and ensure it did not fall into the Grigori's hands. There was little information about what this package was, but from Issei could tell, it was a Sacred Gear, like his own. Azazel, the Governor of the Grigori, was a man of science and theories, and took a great interest in Sacred Gears. Chances were, the package was going to be delivered to him for further study.

However, there was one problem; the Fallen Angels stationed here were following Kokabiel's orders. Kokabiel was not like the current leaders of the Three Factions. He didn't want peace. No, far from it. He wanted a war. A war on par with the one that had nearly torn the world asunder. The top brass had made it perfectly clear that they were not allowed to fail, under any circumstance. They needed to retrieve the package before Kokabiel's goons got to it. The real question was what exactly the package was. A Sacred Gear, or a Sacred Gear holder? Either way, finding it would be a pain, but Issei didn't mind.

There was no need to think about the matter. Focus on the mission, and complete it without anyone learning about who they are. If they did, there were two options: silence them, or erase their memories. Personally, he'd prefer the latter, as it was not necessary to take the lives of others needlessly.

BEEP BEEP **BEEP!** BEEP BEEP **BEEP!**

Issei immediately pulled his cell out of his pocket, and looked at the collar ID. A second later, he flipped it open.

"I just got confirmation that the PSB is here in town," a gruff voice answered. "Seems like two Contractors being active at once in a small backwater town became a cause of concern. Better watch your back, brat."

The brunette didn't reply. Instead, he closed his cell, and slipped it back into his pants pocket. "That the old man?" Motohama asked. Issei nodded. "What did he say?"

"Public Security." he answered. "Which means we're going to have to be more discreet about this."

"Haa...dammit." Matsuda scratched his head. "So the PS are on our tail now? What a drag..."

"What would you expect? Two Contractors were sighted last night. Of course they would be looking into it." Motohama replied.

"Yeah, I know, but it's still a drag." the bald Contractor muttered before a grin formed on his face. "Then again, could be fun running circles around them."

"Let's not and say we did." his friend deadpanned before looking at Issei. "By the way, Issei... Mao told me you enrolled Yin into our school." Matsuda immediately became interested, eyes widening in surprise as he sat up and gave the brunette a shocked look. Issei, for his part, merely gave a nod, making no excuses for his actions. "Are you sure that's a good idea? We're in a school that is controlled by two very powerful Devils, both of which are the heirs to the Gremory and Sitri Clans. If they learn that Yin is a Doll, this will compromise our cover."

"I've already taken the necessary steps." Issei said sharply. "I've falsified her records. As far as anyone knows, she's my cousin who was studying abroad for the last three years. In other words, when Rias and Sona look into it, they'll only see her as Yin Hyoudou, my mother's sister's daughter. Nothing more, nothing less. Besides, I asked some help from the other guys."

Motohama sighed, shaking his head. "That is exactly my problem, Issei." he admonished his comrade. "If they dig deeper than they should, they'll know something is up. Also, there's one other problem." The teen pushed up his glasses, removing the glare to reveal the ever-serious gray eyes. "As far as anyone who is involved with Contractors knows, only Contractors and other Dolls can see a Specter. Normal humans can't see them, unless they possess a particularly powerful Sacred Gear, or a high spiritual awareness. However, in reality, other supernatural beings can see them... and that includes Devils as well."

"Meaning," Matsuda smiled wryly. "If Yin uses her Specter here, and if it's found by one of our freaky classmates, we're going to be caught." A chuckle escaped him. "Looks like we're in a bind."

"Which is why I want to know why you thought it was a good idea to enroll her."

Issei merely looked to the ground below them. He gathered his thoughts.

"...As we all know, the mission takes priority. It was because of this I thought it would benefit us if Yin was with us as well."

Motohama raised an eyebrow. "Your going to have to clarify."

"When we arrived, the first order and priority was to ensure that no one is to discover that we are Contractors, nor are they to learn who we belong to." Issei reminded them. "If our identities are compromised, we either eliminate them, or erase their memories with ME technology. To that end, we put up these facades, a false mask to make people doubt us and never question who we really are. To the whole school, we're just a group of regular boys with an unhealthy obsession, and we want to keep it that way." He sighed as he closed his eyes. "However, we have to consider the possibility that someone might learn who we really are, and try to infiltrate the school."

Matsuda tossed another pockey in his mouth. "Ah, I get it..." he mused, understanding what Issei was getting at. "If somebody learns about us, and they try to attack us directly, or try to investigate, we can have Yin keep an eye on them. And if we do that..."

"Then our upperclassmen will also become suspicious, considering a Specter is observing an individual." Motohama nodded at the logic. "It's risky... but rather effective."

"I know. But due to the possibility of another Contractor seeking us out to kill us, it is worth the risk. And given the amount of students here..."

"...you're saying that they could attack innocent bystanders to draw us out?"

"A possibility."

Motohama sighed. "Well, when you bring up an argument like that, I suppose I can't really say anything else." he said in defeat before giving him a slight glare. "But, Yin will be your responsibility. Do remember that."

"She wouldn't be with me if she weren't."

"Oh, yeah..." Matsuda recalled. "That's right. She's been living with you since the two of you got paired up together, huh?"

"yeah..." Issei nodded. Frankly, he couldn't believe so much time has passed since then.

* * *

 _By the time I was fourteen, four years had passed since the appearance of Hell's Gate. It had been around that same time that I had lost my parents, who were going abroad_ in _South America to study the previous phenomenon called Heaven's Gate. The details_ about _what transpired there are murky, but ever since then, nobody has ever managed to enter Heaven's Gate. From what the authorities had told me, my parents died while on a plane bound for South America. They thought I would have broken down into tears, but they were wrong. I didn't feel anything from it._

 _It was because I wasn't human anymore. I had become a Contractor._

 _It happened a little after Heavens Gate appeared._

 _I do not remember the specifics of what happened, but I do know this. The moment I obtained my powers was the same time I lost me emotions._

 _People noticed the change, but they thought it was because of me learning about my parents' death. I only thought about what was rational to do, and accepted whatever rational proposal or offer was given to me. It was sometime after I had turned thirteen that a group approached me. They learned that I was a Contractor, and gave me an offer._

 _Join their organization, and in turn, learn_ about _the secrets of the Gates._

 _It seemed like a rational proposal. By joining this group, I could learn how to control my powers more properly, and would be offered some form of protection from others who would seek to use my abilities. With that in mind, I agreed. From that moment on, I had become a weapon to that organization._

 _A year went by, and everyone knew my only as the Black Reaper, a Contractor who left behind nothing but corpses wherever he went._

 _But according to the Public Service Bureau, my identity was BK-201. Even to this day, they are still trying to find the mysterious Black Reaper._

 _They couldn't even discern my own abilities as the targets I eliminate were killed by unusual means._

 _But that is why my power is so efficient for the job. When I kill someone, I leave no trace of my presence._

 _All in all...it's a rather simple method._

 _When it became clear how useful I was, it was decided that I would be paired up with others that could compliment my abilities. A rational decision I agreed to. Motohama was the group's strategist, planning ahead every possible move while remaining observant. His power allowed him to intensify the gravity of any target he chooses, effectively immobilizing them. However, in return, his eyesight worsens, hence why he wears glasses. Matsuda's power lies with speed, able to move quickly. He was deadly in his execution, and his Payment was simple. My power was electricity. I could control any electrical current in a target, ranging from short-circuiting a system to killing a target instantly, and my payment, while seemingly deplorable to others, was also simple. I never questioned why it had to be adult magazines. Another member of our group was Mao, a Contractor who was trapped inside the body of a cat for unknown reasons. I never figured out what his Payment was._

 _However... long before I ever met them, and before I became BK-201, I had met Yin._

 _I first met her not long after it was determined that I could become useful to the Organization. It was mandatory for all field agents to be assigned a Doll, which was rational, given a Doll's unique ability to track a target via Specter._

 _"She may not look it," one of the human members of the organization said to me, with the girl who would become my future partner sitting in front of me, bearing a blank gaze, and wearing a medical yukata. "But she's one of the best Dolls we have. Her Specter is limited to areas with water, but she'll be useful to you."_

 _At first, the two of us never really interacted outside of missions. We simply did what we were good at, with me hunting down targets, and her observing their every move. But eventually, we started to open up to one another._

 _I wasn't sure when it started... but I think it happened sometime after returning from a mission involving a Pandora official. When it was completed, we returned home to_ Kuoh _, back to my parent's house. For some odd reason or another, they had left behind a will, leaving everything they owned to me, from assets to the house._

 _After leaving the bathroom, I found Yin sitting at the dining room table, staring blankly at the table. She didn't say anything, not even so much as a word. Her hair, which is normally tied up, was let_ down, _and wore simple black pajamas that I provided for her. When she heard my footsteps, she perked_ up, _and looked to the staircase._

 _"...Issei."_

 _"_ Hey _Yin..." I waved as I started to work on dinner._

 _With that said, it was back to being quiet. The atmosphere wasn't awkward to us, as both of us have grown accustomed to it._

 _It's been like that ever since we were together._

Although, _unlike before, Yin was more... quiet, than usual. "...is something the matter?" I asked as I prepared the plates. "If there's something wrong, let me know. I'll call the Director to have the doctors take a look at you."_

 _"...Issei?" the Doll speaks up, her voice ever-quiet._

 _"What is it?"_

 _"...today's the day Hell's Gate appeared, isn't it?"_

 _I nodded as I placed her plate in front of her. "Yeah, it is..." To think it had been already two years. I hadn't realized how quickly time had passed, but then again, I supposed I didn't care much for it. "Why do you ask?"_

 _"...then today is the day you lost your parents."_

 _...Oh, yeah. That's right. It was also the anniversary of my parents' deaths. How could I have forgotten? Was it because I try not to remember that they were gone?_

 _I was once told by my caretaker that memory can sometimes be a curse as much as it is a gift. Remembering the day one's parents have ceased to be can make one's heart feel pain. It was the rational thing to not remember the past._

 _"It is," I confirmed. "Why do you ask?"_

 _"...I don't_ know. _" she told me. "But... For some reason, it feels like today's important to me as well..."_

 _"...I see." I merely nodded. I would have to take note of this. It's rather odd behavior for Yin to be like this._

 _I was vaguely aware of her past. From what the Director had told me, she had lost her father in a plane crash, and shortly afterward, her mother in a hit-and-run incident. In a way, that made her like me, someone who had lost her parents. The circumstances behind her becoming a Doll are unknown, but she demonstrated incredible capabilities regarding her Specter, hence her value to the organization._

 _Beneath those eyes that had long forgotten what it was like to know emotion, I saw... loneliness? No, that wasn't quite it. What was it... Longing? Hm, I wonder, what would be the proper action for this... Should I console her?_

 _...At times like this, I wish I had genuine emotions. I am not good at sentimental stuff like this..._

 _I rubbed the back of my neck, unsure of what to do. What would be the best course of action...?_

 _"...do people like us..." Yin said quietly. "Cry on days like this?"_

 _I looked at her for a few moments. "...I suppose so..." however, I'm not sure if I CAN cry because my lack of emotions..._

 _"...is it wrong when you can't cry?"_

 _"I wouldn't know. I don't have any emotions anymore."_

 _"...I don't think so."_

 _I raised an eyebrow. What did she mean by that?_

 _"...you look_ after _me, even though you don't need_ to. _" she said softly. "I don't know why, but... when I'm around you, I feel... happy."_

 _For the first time since I saw her, she held a genuine smile. "It's weird, but... I don't hate it."_

 _I stared at her, my cheeks gaining the faintest hint of red. That was odd. Why did it feel like my face was heating up?_

 _It was a strange feeling._

 _But... I didn't necessarily hate it either._

* * *

"Oi, oi..." Matsuda called out, bringing Issei away from his thoughts. "Dude, come on. Class is gonna start."

"Huh? Sorry. I guess I spaced out..." Issei apologized. It was odd. He had been doing it a lot recently.

Motohama looked like he wanted to question him, but relented. The three quickly made their way to their class. As they did so, they passed by Rias Gremory, who was also reaching for her class.

For a brief second, Issei and Rias walked past one another.

The red haired heiress's eyes widened as she turned around, catching the brown haired teen retreating. For a second there...she felt that something was off...as if she stood next to a cold, bleak, void.

 _'Was that...'_ she thought in confusion. _'Really him...?'_

* * *

"Alright, everybody, settle down." the teacher advised as class was beginning. Issei had reverted to his fake persona, sat at the back of the classroom, looking rather listless while awaiting fourth period to begin. "I'm sure you've all heard the rumors, and yes, they're true. We're receiving a new student today."

The class bursted into hushed whispers.

"A new student? This late in the semester?"

"Wow, I hope it's a cute girl."

"I hope it's a handsome boy!"

"It better not be another damned pretty boy! We have enough of those!"

"It better not be a pervert! We have enough of those already..."

The last comment was directed at the Perverted Trio. While all three of them acted like they were offended, they didn't really care.

"Alright, settle down." the teacher said strictly before turning to the door. "Come in."

The door slid open, allowing the student to enter. Issei saw who it was, and felt the irrational urge to smile.

It was Yin.

"Everyone, this is Yin Hyoudou." the teacher introduced. "She's been studying abroad for the last three years, so treat her kindly."

The girl gave a brief bow. "...how do you do?"

The class was naturally quiet, gazing at the new student with various reactions. Some noted that she looked rather off, given her quiet and expressionless face, but found her to be very beautiful and/or cute, especially with her black and violet dress. The boys couldn't help but gaze at her with slight awe and lust, and the girls couldn't help but notice how quiet she seemed to be.

One student, however, voiced the thought that was currently on their minds.

"Hyoudou?" the student questioned. "As in, like, Issei Hyoudou?"

"As it so happens," the teacher answered. "Yin is Issei-kun's cousin. Everyone, treat her well."

"Hai, sensei!"

Internally, each student wondered the same thing. How was this cute girl related to the mega pervert, Issei Hyoudou? It just didn't make any sense!

"Oi!" the brunette snapped, looking as if he heard such thoughts. "If anyone here tries to hit on my cousin, I'll personally kick your ass!"

Motohama and Matsuda shared a collective sweat drop. 'I can't tell if he actually meant that, or if he's sticking to his persona...'

When it came to Yin...the thoughts and intentions of Issei Hyoudou are a mystery.

The other students gaped at him in surprise. He was the overprotective type?

Yin, for her part, felt the urge to smile.

* * *

"...Asia, why do you keep squirming?"

"I-I can't help it! This is my first time on a train...!"

On the train inbound for Kuoh station, a few passengers stared at the sight with a slight sweatdrop. One passenger was squirming in her seat, hugging one of the poles for dear life as the car swayed back and forth every now and then while her friend merely looked confused by the action. Both were female, one a young girl in her teens, wearing church attire with a white cap atop her head, blonde hair falling from her shoulders, and a pair of wonderful green eyes. Her companion was older, somewhere between her early to mid twenties, having messy red hair that fell to her shoulders, and bright green eyes. Her attire was rather simple, being a button-up dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and loose slacks.

All in all...the two seemed like a rather unusual pair to the bystanders.

Especially since they were both foreigners.

The red-haired woman gave her companion a blank stare. "Calm down..." she said blandly, her tone even. "It's not as if it's a monster."

"I-I'm sorry..." Asia apologized. "I'm just not used to riding one of these."

The girl finally settled down, but she still fidgeted slightly. She understood why, though. She had been relatively isolated her whole life, placed up on a pedestal by the Church. She never had the opportunity to experience things such as this. Perhaps when they reached Kuoh, she could treat her to some good food.

"It will be alright Asia-san." The red haired woman patted her head.

"Th-thank you... Miss Carmine."

* * *

 _My name is Havoc... and I am a Contractor._

 _In fact...I was known as one of the most feared Contractors due to my ability._

 _Vacuum Creation._

 _The ability to create hard vacuums in large volumes._

 _Everywhere I had gone, I had left behind a mountain of bodies... and behind me, the blood of children. It was the price of my ability._

 _Now, however... I wasn't a Contractor. I was... a_ Forfeitor _. It's a term developed by PANDORA, the idea of a Contractor having lost their powers, but still remain as such. I am one such person. For the last few years, I have been living in Europe, having been taken care of by an old family. It was a peaceful time._

 _It's been ten years since I lived in Europe, and when Heaven's Gate mysteriously closed itself off._

 _No one knows why such a phenomenon happened. And they were still seeking answers._

 _But none of that mattered to me. I gave up my powers because I did not want them anymore. I was sick of it all. The payment of my ability. Killing. All of it._

 _I enjoyed my life here in Europe. It wasn't long before I met Asia Argento, the so-called "Holy Maiden" of our town._

 _She was a sweet girl. Kind and caring to a fault. She was well known throughout Europe for her benevolence._

 _At least...until that incident happened._

 _Asia became a Holy Maiden because of her ability to heal anyone. It wasn't long before I realized why; she held a Sacred Gear. We Contractors didn't know much about them, or what they were capable of. All we knew is that each person who has made their mark on history wielded one. Her Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing, had the power to heal all wounds..._

 _Even those of a Devil._

 _This little bit of information was discovered when Asia healed an injured Devil. However, after said Devil thanked her for her kindness, he backpedaled and killed his assailants._

 _The incident had caused Asia to be branded a heretic... worse, a witch. The church turned against her, and what they praised to be the epitome of kindness and gentleness became an idol of hate_ amonst _those who wore a cross. She had been all but driven out from her home, and the people turned against her._

 _Were I still a Contractor, I would have simply let her be. It was the rational thing to do... but things were different. Losing my powers had made me... human, in a sense. For the first time, I felt like a normal person again._

 _When Asia left, I came with her._

 _I just couldn't leave her alone. As far as I know, she has lived her whole life in the Vatican. She has little to no knowledge of the outside world._

 _She was vulnerable._

 _At first, she didn't like the idea of me being with her. She said it was a bad idea, that I might also be involved in whatever might happen. I didn't care. Even though we had known each other for what could pass for a year or two, she was still someone I cared for deeply. In a way, she was one of the people that made me feel human again._

 _I wouldn't leave her alone. No matter what._

 _And if someone tried to hurt her..._

 _...Then they would learn why I used to be known as the most feared._

 _It had only been a few months before we were approached by a group called the Grigori. The organization I used to work for, known only as the "Syndicate," knew quite a bit about the Supernatural World._ How, _I don't know. I never asked. Never bothered to question it. The leader of the Grigori was the Fallen Angel known as Azazel, had apparently learned about Asia's situation, and offered her sanctuary, in exchange for studying her Sacred Gear._

 _That offer had also extended to me as well, in exchange for anything I knew about Heaven's Gate, and my current status as a_ Forfeitor _._

 _I knew that Azazel would be as intrigued about the Gate as any other knowledge seeker. I'd say that it is about a fair trade, as I had something that he had an interest in._

 _Which is why the both of us were currently on this train heading toward_ Kuoh _Town._

 _I didn't understand much about the town, but what I did know is that it was the territory of two powerful Devils. Who they were, I didn't know, but Azazel said that anything that happened to them might possibly spark a war. There was also one other matter that made me curious about it... something the old crow told me._

 _Supposedly, there's a Contractor there, one shrouded in mystery and death. A man covered in black._

 _BK-201... the Black Reaper._

 _From what I heard_ of _him...he almost reminded myself of me in the past. A Contractor who leaves a trail of dead bodies in their wake._

 _But other than that, there isn't much well known about him. He is like a phantom._

 _There is little about him that people know. Who he is, who he works for... they're all a mystery._

 _And something told me that mystery would be soon unraveled._

* * *

Life 1: Brewing Storm


	3. Volume 1: Reared Chaos

**_The wind dances, creating a hurricane that rips away the darkness. Wings, pitch as black, torn away, feathers left to wallow in the abyss._**

 ** _A figure steps out from the winds, his scent akin to the grave._**

 ** _Stop. The girl is innocent._**

 ** _In a world without a god, the darkness closes. And then... the world falls apart._**

* * *

 **A DRAGON DARKER THAN BLACK  
**

* * *

OPENING: "Yoru wa Nemureru kai?" -flumpool

 _Hey_

 _Hey_

 _Hey_

 _Fukaku nemureru kai kizu wa iyashita kai?_

 _Yoru ga sabishii kara tte atari shidai ni kowasanai de_

 _Yume wo miru koto datte hoshi ga naku koto datte_

 _Shiri mo shinai mama shinde mita kke_

 _Joozu ni kakureta kai iki wa hisometa kai?_

 _Ima ga kurushii kara tte mury shite jibun kaenai de_

 _Yuukan na banjin datte nayameru kohitsuji datte_

 _Mawari michi shite ikiteru tte_

 _Yeah, Yeah_

 _Medata ni you ni_

 _Yeah, Yeah_

 _Tae rareru you ni_

 _Yeah, Yeah_

 _Shikou kairo wa mada tomenai you ni_

 _Koyoi runaway runaway uso mitai da_

 _Dare ka kono tsukande kure yo_

 _Mienai asu wa konakute ii_

 _Ima wa tada nemuritai_

 _Hey_

 _Hey_

 _Hey_

* * *

It was the end of school when Issei, accompanied by Yin, after shortly liberating her from a mob of curious girls and boys alike, and his partners, Motohama and Matsuda, went up to the rooftop. Lounging about atop the fence was a familiar black cat, flicking it's tail back and forth lazily before opening one of it's eyes, noticing the four's presence. "Oh, there you are." Mao greeted. "So, how was Yin's first day at school?"

"It was...interesting..." The white haired girl responded in monotone.

"The other students wouldn't leave her alone." Issei elaborated. "They kept pestering her with all sorts of questions."

"Well, it can't be helped, all things considered." Mao shrugged. "Anyway, just got some news from the higher ups." His eyes narrowed dangerously as he jumped down from his perch, landing easily on the ground. "The package has arrived in Kuoh... and it's with an unexpected variable."

Motohama furrowed his brow. "An unexpected variable?" he inquired. "How do you mean?"

"A Contractor from the Heaven's War," he elaborated, earning a look of startled surprise from the other Contractors. "Carmine. Codename: Havoc."

Just by hearing the name, Matsuda and Motohama flinched. All the while, Issei remained passive, but he gained a sharpness in his eyes.

Havoc...that was the codename of an unbelievably powerful Contractor. From what they knew, her power was creating powerful vacuums. They have seen evidence of what her power was capable of to both humans and buildings.

The photos were more...gory than he anticipated.

"...will this pose a problem?" he asked, his voice even. "After all, if she's as powerful as the reports claim her to be, then our mission has become more difficult."

"That is the thing though..." Mao interjected. "Based on the information we have, she hasn't shown any sign of using her power in years."

Matsuda raised an eyebrow. "What's up with that?" he asked. "What? Did the war make her lazy or something?"

"No. Nothing like that. When she was active, she laid waste to countless syndicates. There was another reason for her inactivity." Mao took a breath. "There has been a rumor that she lost her powers..."

That interested the group greatly. "A Contractor that doesn't have her powers?" Issei asked, folding his arms over his chest. "I thought Forfeitors were only in theory."

"Well, it's unconfirmed if she is," Mao said. "But regardless, don't let your guard down around her. She's still dangerous."

"So what are we talking about here? Some trained in knives, guns, or unarmed combat?" Matsuda guessed.

"All of the above." the cat replied. "At any rate, you three, you'll need to find a way to retrieve the package without arousing suspicion from the Sitri or Gremory heiresses, as well as avoiding the Fallen stationed here."

"So we need to remain stealthy lest we get our covers blown and possibly captured, interrogated, and tortured by either the Devils or Fallen Angels..." The bald teen mused. "...Sounds like a party."

Motohama sweat-dropped. "...Matsuda, sometimes, I think you don't take things seriously enough."

Issei ignored their banter, and instead, looked out past the fence, his gaze intense. 'Havoc, huh?' he thought, his left hand twitching slightly. _'A Contractor who's lost her power...doesn't make her any less than a threat.'_

Even though a contractor may be powerless, its not the abilities they have that make them so feared. It's their natural skill.

He should know that, better than anyone else.

* * *

Ever since their brief, if non-existent, confrontation in the hallway, Rias was confused about Issei Hyoudou.

The moment she walked passed him, she did not feel the bright, positive energy that he seemed to emit before. All she felt was a cold, endless abyss.

There was no trace of the perverted boy she had come to be aware of.

But how was this possible? Just how could Issei perform a complete 180 turn in his personality like that?

"You look like your deep in thought." Akeno remarked as she entered the room. "Penny for your thoughts, Buchou?"

Rias offered her friend a tired smile. "Hey, Akeno..." she greeted back. "Sorry... just dueling with unpleasant thoughts."

At this Akeno frowned. "...is this about the arranged marriage?"

"For once, no." the redhead replied. "It has to deal with a certain kouhai."

"Ara? Do you mean Issei-kun?"

Rias nodded. "I ran into him into the hallway not too long ago." she said. "And, well... let's just say I'm having doubts about him."

"Doubts?" Akeno cocked her head to the side. "Is that so... Well, speaking of our young kouhai, I hear his cousin has enrolled today."

"Really now?" Rias was now intrigued. She may have to ask Sona for more information about it.

Akeno nodded. "Yin Hyoudou. She's a rather quiet girl from what I can tell, and she's apparently been studying abroad."

"Is that so? Where did she study at?"

"I don't know." her Queen shrugged. "That's all I really know. Sona's quite curious about her, though, so she's keeping an eye on her.

"I see..." So Yin was under her friend's observation? The very notion piqued her interest, as Sona wouldn't keep tabs on another student without good reason.

Perhaps there was more to Issei Hyoudou, and by extension, his cousin, than what was letting on.

* * *

"I apologize for the delay, Argento." the man in the fedora hat said, bowing his head. "There was certain... complications. I am Dohnaseek, of the Grigori. I've been tasked with looking after you during your stay here." He turned his gaze to Carmine, who remained ever cautious of her surroundings. "And you must be Havoc... Lord Azazel has told me much of you."

"That name is in the past, Mr. Dohnaseek." the redhead dead panned. "Carmine will do just fine."

"Very well, Carmine." The Fallen Angel nodded.

The three currently resided in the Church of Kuoh Town. When Asia and Carmine first stepped off the train, they were greeted by the man before them.

The man had arrived only an hour after their arrival, and if the perplexed expression on his face was any indication, it was clear something recent had happened. What, she didn't know. She doubted they needed to know, but the fact that something had happened for this complication to occur meant it was something serious. She held her tongue, but Carmine knew it wouldn't be long before something would happen.

"Pardon, Sir Dohnaseek..." Asia said quietly and respectfully, bowing her head. While he may be a Fallen Angel, he was still an Angel, a servant of the Lord. In spite of her exile, she still retained her faith, evident by the cross that hung around her neck. "I-I was told we were to meet a Lady Raynare here."

Dohnaseek grimaced. "Yes, she was... And that is part of the complication." he said gravely. "She was killed. We found her body only yesterday."

This caused differing reactions amongst the girls. In Asia's case, she let out a horrified gasp, unable to believe what she just heard. Carmine however settled with her eyes widening in her surprise. She wasn't that perturbed, as bloodshed was a common thing back when she was a Contractor.

The question though...who was it that killed Raynare?

Whoever it must have been... they had to be either a Contractor, or a supernatural entity, if they wanted to kill a Fallen Angel, or a human experienced with a Sacred Gear.

"That's horrible..." Asia whispered, terrified at the prospect of an angel being killed. "Who would do such an awful thing?"

"We are currently looking into the matter as we speak," the man responded, sighing tiredly. It was only now that Carmine noticed the bags underneath his eyes. "Enough talk, I'm afraid. We must head to the church."

Carmine nodded. "Lead the way."

WIth the conversation at a close, the three made their way over to their destination. Still, Carmine could not shake off this strange feeling she had.

 _'Why do I get the feeling that things have become more complicated?'_

* * *

Misaki Kirihara was one of the youngest people in the force to reach her current position, and one of the few female officers to achieve the rank of Chief at all. As a member of the Public Security ad Safety Bureau, she was tasked with investigating any unusual anomaly that involved contractors, dolls, or anything of the sort. Normally, she and her team would be stationed in Tokyo, as it was the hotbed of Contractor Activity.

However, the reason they were in Kuoh, a small residential district on the outskirts, was because of Contractor activity... specifically, two contractors that were labelled particularly dangerous.

One was a Contractor identified to be IO-010. Not much information was known about him, other than his Contractor ability over gravity. Supposedly, his power seemed to intensify the gravity around a certain point.

The other was even more of a mystery...and a lot more dangerous. The Black Reaper. BK-201.

There was little info about the latter. All she knew for certain was that he was wrapped in death and mystery, as no one had ever seen what he looks like. He first appeared around four years ago, and within that four years, he left behind a trail of corpses that would no doubt make a serial killer green with envy. After all, his list of kills was composed of many, ranging from corrupted officials to Contractors. It seemed as if he were an expert assassin, or perhaps a killer for hire. Either way, he was dangerous, and the fact that he was showing activity here, in this small town, provided some confusion and anxiety for her.

Why was he here? Moreover, why was IO-010 here as well? Had they tried to kill one another? Unlikely. Both stars were still present.

Based on this, there could be only a handful of assumptions. They haven't discovered one another, or they are collaborating with one another.

The last one terrified her. She didn't even want to know what would happen if they joined together.

Either way, this case was sure to be a long one.

"Chief," Saito, a large, burly man with short black hair and broad shoulders, greeted her with a salute as he approached. "We've managed to identify the victim."

Misaki nodded her head. "Alright." she said. "Who is she?"

he man set a file before her. The manila folder was opened to show a teenage girl with long black hair and violet eyes.

"Amano, Yuuma. Age, seventeen." Saito read off the information. "She was a student at Sumika Private Academy for Girls. She was listed as a straight-A student, no records of suspicious activity ranging from within the past few years. Strangely, however, when we questioned the staff about her, they appeared to have no recollection of a Amano ever enrolling in their school."

Misaki raised an eyebrow, clearly suspicious of the circumstances. "ME?" she asked.

"A possibility. We're looking into it as we speak." he replied. "The cause of death is unknown, but it appears she was tortured first. We found signs of trauma prior to death, several broken fingers, a stab wound through the back of the hand, and scar tissue on the back. It was as if pieces of her flesh were ripped right off."

"I see...anything else?"

"No ma'm. That was all."

Misaki frowned deeply, leaning back in her seat. Out of habit, her forehead crinkled, and bit down on her lower lip. "Why was a high school student killed?" she muttered. "And why the torture? Moreover, why was the faculty's memories erased?"

"Hell if I know, chief." Saito said, clearly as confused as she was. "We do know, however, that her time of death coincides with BK-201's star becoming active, and prior to her death, IO-010. It's possible that 010 restrained her while 201 tortured her. Why, though, is anyone's guess. We checked her parents backgrounds, but nothing was out of the ordinary."

"Is that so? Who were her parents?"

"Just regular folks." Saito informed. "A housewife and a business man. Like I said, there's really-" He was cut off when the door to the office opened, revealing a well-aged man in his late fifties with gray hair and eyes, dressed in the ever-familiar business suit. It was Kunio Matsumoto, another member of the Public Security Bureau.

"Chief," he said without breaking stride, stopping just short of the desk. "I just got off the phone with the Principal of Sumika Private Academy. We did a little more digging on the victim." Misaki leaned forward, recognizing the disturbed, confused face on her colleague. "Apparently, there ARE no records of a Yuuma Amano attending Sumika."

Both officers' eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, you mean they were falsified?" Saito asked. "What the hell for?"

"Damned if I know." the man grunted. "I did some further checking in the Public Archives. There isn't a single damned mention of a girl named Yuuma Amano at all. She doesn't even exist."

The brown-haired chief frowned heavily, glancing down at the photograph that belonged to the victim... the one known as 'Yuuma Amano.' "If Amano doesn't exist..." she narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing over the picture as she tried to find an answer within the photo. "Then just who is our victim?"

* * *

The night was rather frigid, as Issei expected. The cool air whipped around him as he stood atop the rooftop of a recently established building that overlooked a majority of the small-scale city. He had forgone his previous attire, in place of more well-fitting clothes.

It was an outfit consisting of a pair of black pants, a black undershirt, and a black overcoat. They were built to take a few hits and provide a free range of motion for combat effectiveness. He also wore a harness underneath the coat, which was attached to his built, as it was armed with several knives meant to cut through any obstacle. The steel wires would provide the means of mobility, and the means to kill, but what truly brought forth a sense of dread in the hearts of his enemies was the object currently held in his hands. It was a white Pierrot mask with deep black eyes. It had a red slit that was bent upward to resemble a clown's smile. Going through the right eye was a purple lightning bolt marking.

"Issei," Motohama's voice broke through into his ear via comm-link, which was attached to the lobe of his ear. "Are you ready?"

"...yeah." he answered, slipping on his mask. He felt the cool material brush against his face as the world he perceived became more clearer to him, forfeiting any traces of the person that was Issei Hyoudou. There was little need for a school boy here... Here, there was only a Contractor. "Yin, what's the status of the package?"

"It is already in the Fallen Angel's possession. The one named Havoc is also with them."

BK-201 nodded. _'Regardless of whether or not Havoc has lost her powers, she is still a threat.'_ he thought as he double-checked his equipment, making sure everything was in place. 'I should focus on neutralizing her, first.' He tapped his earlobe. "Matsuda, Motohama... Are you ready?"

"We're all ready to go."

"Then mission start."

He leaped off the building.

* * *

"So, any news on the bastard that killed Raynare?"

Dohnaseek shook his head in regret, rubbing his tired eyes. "I have made little headway." he admitted. "All I can say with certainty is that, whoever killed her, they wanted to know something. What, I cannot say...but something tells me it may be that girl and the Contractor."

"Huh? Why would they want to know about the Nun and Havoc?" A petite blonde girl dressed in a gothic Lolita dress questioned.

"Who knows? But they must be pretty driven to get info about them if they were willing to torture and kill Raynare."

The blue-haired woman growled, her fingers digging into her arm. "Whoever they are, they're going to pay for what they've done." she hissed in rage. Raynare had been like a sister to her, long before they had ever fallen from grace. She had always wanted to be praised, to be loved, to be pampered by Azazel. Their orders were to simply observe the nun girl, and await further orders. Shortly after Raynare's death, however, she didn't give a damn about orders.

She wanted to find whoever did this, and then run them through with her spear.

"They will, Kalawarner." Dohnaseek told her, looking equally as enraged, albeit in a more calm manner. "For now, we must bide our time." He turned to the blonde girl. "Mittelt, have you erected the barrier, as requested?"

The Fallen nodded. "A few minutes ago. If anyone crosses the threshold, I'll know."

"Good." Dohnaseek nodded. "We should not take any chances."

It was crucial that they didn't lose Asia Argento, or the Contractor. While he wasn't sure about the woman, the nun was valuable, being the carrier of a Sacred Gear, a rare one at that. It was not everyday one encountered the power to heal all manner of beings, be them demon, angel, or human. It would become a useful tool, should Azazel choose to recruit her, or find a way to replicate it, in the near future.

"Back to the topic at hand..." Kalawarner narrowed her eyes. "Do we know who, or what, killed Raynare? Was it the Devils?"

"I don't believe so." Dohnaseek shook his head. "From what I know, the Heiress of Gremory is in charge of this territory. Given her character, it would be unlikely for her or her servants to move haphazardly. Besides, given what her abilities are, she wouldn't leave any trace of her victims behind. So Raynare's body remaining intact at the scene of the crime crosses her off the list."

"And the Sitri heiress?" Mittelt asked.

The fedora-wearing man scoffed. "She isn't stupid. The implications of killing a Fallen without knowing anything are too prominent. Besides, her character would also prevent her from acting."

Kalawarner sighed in frustration. "Okay, if it isn't a Devil... then who?"

"Who else would it be? A Contractor."

The two female looked at him in bewilderment. Kalawarner looked startled, whereas Mittelt frowned heavily, leaning back as she folded her arms over her chest. "Why the hell would a Contractor be here in the sticks?" she questioned. "Also, what gives you that idea?"

"Because the Public Safety and Security Bureau are present in this town as well." Dohnaseek replied without breaking stride, causing their eyes to widen. "It appears they've already discovered that 'Yuuma Amano' doesn't exist, which is to be expected, given that the falsified records weren't meant to be examined so thoroughly. After all, that alias was meant to last through the duration of Raynare's previous assignment."

"Damn. So because of Raynare's death, the PSSB are infesting this town like roaches? It's going to be a lot harder to move about freely for our assignment."

"I sincerely doubt that." Kalawarner scoffed. "They're humans, after all. As far as they know, the only true threats in the world are Contractors. They know nothing of the supernatural world, outside of their kind."

"True, but caution should still be advised." Dohnaseek told them. "Whoever killed Raynare must be quite skilled, given that she was one of the strongest of the lowest rank among the Grigori." He turned to Kalawarner. "That said, I doubt I have to tell you that there is no need to hold back."

Kalawarner gave him a dark smirk. "Of course." she said, pleased with the idea. "After all, they killed my best friend. It's only fair I kill them without hesitation."

Dohnaseek chuckled at that. In terms of raw power, Kalawarner outclassed him, but when it came to magic, Mittelt was the best in her field. He was more of a strategist than anything else, thus with them working together, they would be able to eliminate the threat easily. That being said, they couldn't quite throw caution out of the wind. After all, their opponent was an unknown, and obviously good enough to kill Raynare. Now that he thought about it... there was that rumor Azazel had informed him about... about a Contractor that left behind a long list of kills in the past.

Could it have been him...?

Before he had time to think about it more, Mittelt suddenly leaped to her feet, her eyes wide in alarm. "Someone's entered the perimeter."

"What?" Both Fallen snapped to attention. Someone actually entered the area?

"Who is it?" Kalawarner asked.

"I don't know."

Dohnaseek narrowed his eyes. "Whoever it is, they have a lot of gall." he growled. "Kalawarner, Mittelt, you two guard the nun and the Contractor. I shall deal with our uninvited guest myself."

Kalawarner nodded. "Understood. Be careful, Dohnaseek."

"Don't worry about me. Just keep those two safe. We can't risk losing them."

Mittelt snapped into a salute, grinning. "Give 'em hell, Dohnaseek!"

The man grinned at her words before tipping his head, swiveling around his feet as he turned to the exit.

* * *

Elsewhere, outside of the church and in the city, a young girl with silver hair and violet eyes stared blankly ahead of her, her hand touching the surface of a bucket of water that was placed in front of her.

"...a Fallen is approaching," she reported. "It appears to be a male. He is likely the one Raynare informed us of."

"Understood," Mao replied. "Alright, boys, it's game time. Issei, you know the drill."

As usual, he gave only a one-worded response, as was expected of him. "...understood."

* * *

When Dohnaseek entered the courtyard, he found the intruder standing in the middle of the field. He couldn't help but feel slightly impressed by them. They didn't bother to try and hide. They wanted to stand and fight, to engage in battle with him. To be rather honest, he was slightly excited as well. "...I assume you are the one who killed Raynare." It wasn't a question. "So, might I know your name, stranger?"

The lone figure standing in the courtyard turned on his feet, revealing their attire to him. Dohnaseek's eyes widened in mild surprise. They were dressed completely in black, a long coat reaching down to their shins bearing a green interior with black pants and boots, as well as a muscle shirt that could be barely seen underneath. Their face was covered by a white mask, resembling that of a pierrot with a smiling mouth, black eyes, and a purple insignia resembling a lightning bolt. They possessed brown hair, which was patted down, thus obscuring the left eye of the mask while the bangs fringed over the right, hiding their ears and reaching down past the collar of the coat.

All in all, they possessed a rather intimidating aura.

"...you are Dohnaseek, of the Grigori, correct?"

"...And if I am...?" The Fallen Angel replied in caution.

"Where is the package?" The masked figure requested bluntly. At this, the Fallen raised an eyebrow. Package? He must mean the nun.

A smile crossed his face. "If you are referring to Asia Argento... you may not have her." he told the man, not beating around the bush. "She is a valuable asset... However, I am most curious about you. Tell me, why is a Contractor here? As I understand it, you lot are a rational bunch. Should you really be risking your life going after a girl who's only use is healing? Why don't you think about this more... rationally?"

When the figure didn't answer, he smirked. "If you tell me the name of your employer, I will not kill you. Lord Azazel has quite an interest in Contractors, even those beings you call Dolls. I can guarantee you will not be harmed." At least, not by him. He couldn't quite say the same about Kalawarner.

"...Raynare had given me a similar offer." the masked man said after a period of silence. "A rational proposal... It appears diplomacy is the Fallen Angel's strongsuit." Before the man could react, the masked assailant threw his arm out in a swiping motion. Dohnaseek was quick to react, moving away to dodge a knife that nearly cut into him. In that same instance, the man rushed at him with another knife in hand. A light spear was quickly forged before the knife reached him, clashing with it and creating a slight shockwave, as well as sending sparks flying into the air.

"...However...diplomacy is useless in a fight. You are merely wasting your breath. You will die here."

The fallen gritted his teeth as he pushed the masked man back, leaping away to put some distance. However, before he could, his opponent launched a steel wire at him, attached to a knife. He batted it away, leaving the knife to retract back to the assailant before flicking the knife into a reverse grip. A blue light began to dance around him.

The knife became enlightened with electricity.

Dohnaseek narrowed his eyes analytically. A triumphant grin soon appeared on his face. _'SO that is your power...electricity. And based on your weapons, you can control the current to travel through conductible material to shock the opponent. Well too bad for you...I will simply stay out of range.'_

"Think you can stay out of reach, old man?" the masked man said. "Think again." As soon as he finished speaking, the unknown figure flicked his wrists, shooting out several more cables at great speeds.

Dohnaseek immediately took to the skies, his wings emerging from behind him, avoiding each cable that chased after him.

"Hah! Is that really the best you can do?!" he gloated.

The masked man said nothing, as he continued to throw wires in rapid succession. Each and every time, Dohnaseek dodged them, batting away any that came to close with his spear. "Pathetic!" As soon as he was given a reprieve, the man threw his spear, aiming for his opponent's heart. The assailant dodged it with ease, performing a backflip as the spar pierced into the ground, rather than flesh. Before he had a chance to attack, Dohnaseek charged at him, a new spear already in his hand.

"Too slow!" The Fallen thrust his spear forward.

The masked figure showed no visible reaction, instead his body swayed to the side, the spear just grazing his side. ' _How?!'_ Dohnaseek cried in shock. _'At this range, he shouldn't even be able to...!'_

"Unfortunately for you," his opponent said coolly. "I'm faster."

He rammed his heel into his jaw, and sent him flying.

The winged assailant felt his jaw crack from the force of the strike. The very though shocked him. A human was able to hurt him this much? His body crashed into the statue of the Virgin Mary, causing it to crack and break apart, the debris flying through the air. He tumbled and landed harshly on the ground. He quickly shrugged off the damage, dust falling from his wings before looking up at his target. The masked man slowly walked over to him, a knife still resting in his hand. Electricity danced around the blade, sparking threateningly at the poor soul who stand before it. "I'll ask one more time..." the assailant said. "Dohnaseek, where is the package?"

Gritting his teeth in Anger, the Fallen Angel climbed up to his feet and prepared another spear of light. "I will never tell the likes of you!"

"...very well." He flipped the blade into a correct stance. "Die."

Before he could strike, however, he was forced to jump back to avoid being skewered by two light spears.

"So it was a Contractor after all..." Kalawarner mused. The masked man looked up, finding the two Fallens hovering in the air. Kalawarner held her arms underneath her bosom, her face set into a quiet, yet blatant sign of rage, while Mittelt seemed to be ogling him, leaning forward with interest.

"So this is the guy who killed Raynare?" Mittlet questioned. "...He looks like a hunk."

Dohnaseek raised an eyebrow. "...are you seriously eyeing the man who killed our comrade?"

"What? So sue me for looking at a dude who's got it all going on!"

Kalawarner sighed. "In that case, Mittelt, I hope you understand that I'll be putting an end to him."

"Aw, do you have to?" Mittelt whined. "Can't you, I dunno, keep him barely alive for me to keep?"

Kalawarner put a finger to her chin in thought. If they left him barely alive...then she could keep on torturing him before he killed him. And Mittlet could turn him into her sex slave.

Well...as long as she gets to kill him in the end.

"...very well."

The blonde loli grinned. "SWEET~!"

The masked assailant sighed, shaking his head. "How troublesome..." he muttered. "This reminds me too much of what happened in Hong Kong two years ago."

This caught the male Fallen's attention. Hong Kong...two years ago...? He was sure he heard of something along those lines before. He wracked his brain looking for the answer.

Eventually, his mind reached the incident he recalled in question. Two years ago, in Hong Kong, China, a group of Contractors belonging to the Chin Long Tong, a Chinese mafia group, were systematically slaughtered. The incident had been well known by the Grigori, primarily due to, in part, because of the contractor responsible.

A contractor who left behind death in his wake, shrouded in black.

A contractor who wielded the power of electricity.

A contractor, known only as...

"...the black reaper?!"

At his proclamation, both Kalwarner and Mittlet snapped their heads to their comrade before whipping back to face the man in black.

"...so you've heard of that incident I take it." he stated.

Dohnaseek bit back a scowl. Their opponent wasn't just some small fry...it was a demon among Contractors. A monster unlike all others.

Now it was understandable how Raynare was killed. She was dealing with a demon!

"Damn," Dohnaseek growled. "Kalawarner, Mittelt! Be careful! He's no ordinary riff-raff!"

BK-201 chuckled, his shoulders shrugging. "Three on one? Hardly fair..." he mused before bringing up his arm. However...what say you to evening the playing field?"

"Huh?" The was the only word Kalawarner managed to get out before her and Mittlet was forced out of the skies and crashed to the ground. An oppressive feeling weighed down on them, ceasing their flight.

Dohnaseek's eyes widened as he quickly snapped his head to the right. As soon as he did, an unknown figure rammed his fist into his chin, sending him flying.

If his jaw wasn't broken before, then for sure it was now. The male Fallen crashed hard against a tree. The force of the blow causing him to uproot it.

"D-Dohnaseek!" Kalawarner cried as the man tumbled to a halt. Her eyes quickly fell upon the attacker. Unlike BK-201, his face was open, albeit slightly obscured by a baseball hat and hood. Beneath the rim, she could see a sly grin, and a blue aura dancing around his form, wearing only a pair of jeans, boots, and a plain gray hoodie.

"Yare yare..." the newcomer sighed as he dug into his jacket's pocket, pulling out a box of pocky. "So much running... It really works up a guy's appetite."

"Zip it, Mada." another voice intervened. Mittelt saw another male enter the courtyard, this being another young man, only he was wearing a scarf around his neck, along with a black blazer with silver trims, and underneath it, a dark gray v-neck, along with bellbottom pants and a leather belt. Over his eyes were retro-sports sunglasses, bearing no rim at all. "We have work to do."

"Aw, come on, Moto." the man called Mada sighed. "Can't you lighten up? Not like the package is going anywhere."

"There is a time for play, and a time for duty. Now is the latter. So take it seriously lest you risk failure for this mission." Moto scolded.

"Okay, okay. I got it, geez..." Mada shrugged. He nibbled on a stick of pocky.

"Enough, the both of you." BK-201 snapped. "Let's kill them and be done with it. The longer we're here, the more attention we gather."

Mada sighed. "Fine, fine... Let's get it over with." No sooner did he say that did he lean back, avoiding a light spear that hurdled straight past him, only inches away from his chest, before it impaled itself into the wall. He looked to the side to see Dohnaseek standing back to his feet, a hand over his jaw. His teeth were gritted as he forcibly shoved his jaw back into the place, a loud, nauseating 'pop' echoing in the air. "Damn, your still alive?" he asked, chuckling. "Looks like I screwed up."

"Silence!" Dohnaseek barked. "I don't care if you are Contractors of the Black Reaper...You will all die!"

Moto sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'll hold these two down." he said. "Ise, Mada... take care of him."

BK-201, or rather, Ise, nodded. "...acknowledged."

Mada grinned, slipping a piece of pocky into his mouth. "Alright, time for another workout."

As soon as he finished speaking, Mada's eyes glowed bright red as a blue light emitted from his body. He disappeared in a blur, catching the Fallen by surprise. Ise advanced as well, his normal agility being greater than that of an average human.

In a split second, Dohnaseek managed to twirl a light spear he crafted in that same instance behind him, blocking a strike that would have otherwise knocked him to the ground. Mada stood behind him, his fist in contact with the spear. He quickly moved away when Ise came straight in, thrusting his knife forward. The blade cut into his coat, barely missing the flesh. Dohnaseek winced, feeling the lightning sear into his skin as he moved back before his wings allowed him to take into the air. 'One uses gravity,' he thought, his eyes moving to Moto. 'Another can move at an incredible speed, and the other wields electricity...'

They have powers that have the effects of debilitation, agility, and power and technique. A pretty powerful combination. However, on their own, they are not worth much trouble. If only he could separate them...

'I need to get rid of him first.' Dohnaseek's eyes settled on the one that kept his comrades in place.

However, Ise and Mada could tell what the Fallen's plan of action would be.

The Black Reaper threw several cables at him, each sparking with electricity. However, Dohnaseek evaded each of them, and forced a second light spear. He used the first to deflect the incoming cables, and then thrusted the second, which was aimed directly at Moto. Mada scowled. "Ah hell!" he swore, a blue light dancing around him as he quickly vanished, reappearing right next to the glasses-wearing Contractor, throwing him to the ground. The spear that was meant to impale him struck the ground instead.

With his line of sight broken, Kalawarner and Mittelt were now free of their gravitational bindings. The older of the two was gasping while Mittelt groaned, feeling a heavy weight on her shoulders.

Now free from their oppression, the female Fallen took to the skies to rejoin their comrade.

"Thanks for the save." Kalawarner said to Dohanseek.

"Yeah! Geez...my shoulders are all stiff now..." Mittlet complained.

However, while they took a moment to converse, neither of them noticed the cables flying toward them until one wrapped around Mittlet's ankle.

Immediately, their eyes widened in horror as the blonde slowly turned to see Ise, staring back at her, the cable held firmly in his hand. She could have sworn the jester-like smile on the mask turned sinister.

"Die!"

His body glowed bright blue. In the next second, Mittelt let out a scream.

While in the air, her body violently spasmed as if she were electrocuted by million watts of electricity. One could even see the electricity discharging from within her mouth. Her eyes became glassy. In the next moment she dropped like a dead bird.

Kalawarner's eyes widened in horror and terror. "MITTELT!" she wailed in despair, tears falling from her face. Dohnaseek was stunned, horrified by the sight of the blonde loli's corpse before his face morphed into total fury.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT, REAPER!"

Ise waved his hand, giving him the universal gesture that worked every time. "If you want me," he mocked the Fallen. "Come and get me."

"Gladly!" The woman forged two Light spears in her hand and charged forth.

"Wait!" Dohnasheek tried to stop her.

But it was too late. As soon as she was in close, she found herself being thrown to the ground, an unimaginable force being pressed down against her body. It only took her a second to realize the cause.

The Contractor called Moto.

"Tch," he scowled, his eyes twitching in annoyance, an irritating itch scratching away at his eyeballs. "Annoying crow... This is gonna make my eyes hurt even worse now."

The more he used his power, the worse his eyesight becomes. The grade for his eyeglasses has gotten worse and worse every time he goes to optometrist. There was a limit of how much he can use his power. It was only a matter of time before he became blind.

But he shouldn't let that worry him now. They had a mission to complete.

Kalawarner struggled to get up, but she found a knife stabbed into her back. A second later, she let out a scream as millions of volts of electricity ran through her, her body sent into a trembling and shaking mess, her eyes threatening to bulge from her head, and her insides being burned to singes before the pain ceased. Her head fell back to the ground, followed by silence.

Dohnaseek bit his lips in frustration, blood drawing from the tender flesh. "...damn it..."

Ise pulled the blade from her back, flicking it into his sleeve as he looked to Moto. "Enough, Moto." he told him. "Fall back. You're of no use in your state."

"R-right..." Moto nodded reluctantly as he rubbed his eyes. Dammit. He can feel a stinging pain from them even now.

Dohnaseek forged another light spear, glaring at the glasses-wearing Contractor. "As if I'll let you go!" he hissed, about to throw it when he found himself dodging cables once again. As he evaded them, Mada immediately hoisted Moto's arm over his shoulder, and began to move away. "Che! Fucking pests!" the Fallen growled as he batted away a cable. "Every last one of you is annoying!"

"Why thank you!" Mada snarked. "We aim to try and piss off our foes before we eliminate them."

Ise shook his head, whether in exasperation or in amusement was anyone's guess. He then looked back at Dohnaseek, obviously not about to let him strike down his comrades. Mada's body glowed bright blue, and in a split second, he was already gone, leaving behind only a passing breeze that shook the grass around him. "I doubt you'll catch him," he told the man bluntly before he made any moves. "Mada's nickname, Speed Runner, isn't just for show."

Dohnaseek scowled. "It won't matter..." he snarled. "Once I kill you, I'll hunt them down. Nothing will stop me, and nothing will keep him safe, no matter how fast he runs."

A chuckle escaped the black contractor. "And, pray tell..." he said, brandishing another knife. "What makes you think you'll live long enough to try that?"

"It is because I am a Virtue! I am of a higher level than either Mittlet or Kalawarner!" He stated as if it were mere fact. "I am superior to them! Stronger than them! and I will end you!"

Ise shook his head. "It would seem your as arrogant as those I've killed before you..." he sighed in disappointment. "A shame... I was hoping we could speak, provided we reached an impasse. It would seem that is no longer possible." He stretched out his arm, the same one holding the knife. "However... I will show you something before you die. It is the least I can do, out of respect for a Virtue."

Dohnaseek scoffed. "And what might that be, you foolish human?!"

"...the wrath of a dragon."

As soon as Ise said his piece, an emerald light engulfed his outstretched hand. It blinded the Fallen momentarily. But as it died down, Dohnaseek's eyes were bulging out of their sockets.

Resting on the Contractor, feared and awed for his prowess... was a red gauntlet that armored his entire hand from the elbow up, the fingers resembling talons, golden spikes decorating the red sheen with a brilliant green gem found in the center at the back of the hand. It was a Sacred Gear, that much was obvious. However, this was no ordinary Sacred Gear. This was one of the few special Sacred Gears that held a mystical, great power: the power to slay gods and satans. This gauntlet christened it's wielder with the title of "Red Dragon Emperor," for within that gauntlet was one of two dragons that held incredible power.

One of the Thirteen Longinus, the Welsh Dragon's Gauntlet... Boosted Gear.

Dohnasheek was speechless. The Sacred Gear that Azazel notified them about...was this monstrosity?!

 **[BOOST!]**

A mechanical voice rung out with a rumble, a brilliant light shining from the gem. Ise removed his mask, revealing his face to the Fallen Angel.

"Y-YOU?!"

Issei Hyoudou smirked as a red light emerged from his pupils, and a blue light danced around him. "Contractors are liars, killers, betrayers... and I, no less." he said. Unlike before, where it was a silent, yet deadly spark, electricity now danced around him, as if in a frenzy.

"And now...You are erased." With a quick flick of his wrists, several cables with knives attached on the ends shot to the skies and toward the Fallen.

Dohnaseek flapped his wings, intending to take to an even higher altitude, but the knives were much faster than him. In a mere matter of seconds, all of them pierced into his body. The moment they did, billions of volts of electricity poured into his being.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" He howled in agony as his body was fried. Not only did his body spam erratically, but it became charred from the intense heat from the high voltage of electricity.

The feathers of his wings started to fuse together, smoke rising from the quickly-turning black body, and flames flapping from the forming cracks.

In a matter of seconds, the once-proud Virtue of the Grigori was reduced to nothing more than a smoldered black husk. It dropped from the air like a rock and crashed on the ground with a sickening squelch and muffled crunch.

Issei sighed as he scratched the back of his head. "Damn... The executive is going to be pissed." he muttered before he shook his head, slipping his mask back on. "Oh well... what's done is done. All that's left now is to retrieve the package."

He was about to walk inside the cathedral's main quarters when he heard the sound of clapping. "Nice~! I don't think I've ever seen such a work of art! Kyahahahaha!"

"Hm?" The masked man turned his head to the source of the cackling laughter. Coming out from the side of the building was a white haired young man. He was dressed in a black outfit consisted of a long sleeved shirt and jeans, and a white cloak that priests would wear during mass. However, his expression was anything but Holy.

"...and you would be?"

"Freed Sellzan," the white-haired man replied with a mock salute. "Exorcist! Well, former Exorcist I should say, but who the fuck cares about that?" The man's grin grew wider as he took a step forward, his fingers twitching. "So, what's a guy like you doing in a shithole like this?"

"I'm here to retrieve the package." Issei said bluntly, turning to face Freed fully. "Where is it?"

"Sorry~ But those sluts," he tilted his head to the two dead females. "Ordered that they be moved. Where to, I dunno. Personally, I don't give two fucks!"

"...I see..." Then it was useless speaking to this psycho. He had more important matters to attend to. Now he and his team would have to search for the package the hard way. Bur first...he would need to kill this white haired bastard.

Seeing the growing hostility, Freed's grin grew even wider, if it were possible. "Oooh, are we gonna get on with the killing?!" he giggled like a madman. "Sweet~!"

Before the Exrocist could even move, however, multiple cables have already lopped around each of his limbs. After he took a brief second to process what happened, the white haired male screamed and spasmed upon electrocution.

After his body stopped pulsating and spasming, he fell to the ground, face-first with a thud. "...idiot." Issei insulted the corpse as his cables retracted. "Still... There was no intel about a Rogue Exorcist being presented here."

He then pulled out the adult magazine he kept in his pocket. Now was a brief opportunity to perform the payment for his power. Who knows what else will show up?

"...huh," he said, slightly in surprise, as he turned the page. "That's a rather interesting position... must hurt like hell for the guy, though."

* * *

Elsewhere, around that same time, the outskirts of Kuoh, which were normally calm and quiet with little of anyone around, had it's silence shattered by the arrival of a sleek, American model car. It appeared to be a Chevy Camero, painted black with dark red trims, and bearing black-tinted windows. It's engine ceased as it slowly came to a halt, allowing it's passengers to exit the vehicle. All three were foreigners. One was dressed in a tanned business suit with a dress shirt and red tie, his light brown hair cut short, and a holster strapped to his waist, carrying a magnum. The next was a large man, easily a head taller than the first, bearing a shaven head and dark skin, with a green-colored muscle tank-top and bandages wrapped around his waist, along with cargo green jeans and military-edition boots. A cut was found on the bridge of his nose. The last had wavy blonde hair, swept to the right, dressed in a black blazer with a blue v-neck, and red pants and brown dress shoes.

"Christ, what a dump..." the first man groaned, pinching his nose. "And the smell is awful... This is why I don't like the sticks."

"Quit your complaining," the blonde said, his tone even. "We'll be in and out of here, no sweat. Just remember, we're after the red-haired woman. Anyone that gets in your way is collateral damage."

The black man nodded quietly in agreement. The first man sighed as he scratched the back of his head. "Easy for you to say, Jean." he snarked. "Considering you and the big guy here are Contractors. Me? All I've got is a freaking gun. Plus, the Public Security dogs are here." A troubled frown appeared over his face. "So, pray tell, how do we get at the target?"

"It's actually quite simple, Alan..." The blonde stated. "We simply need to ask around very subtly, then we ca focus on retrieving the target once we have acquired enough information."

"Subtle," Alan scoffed. "Yeah, right... And how do you propose we do that, with the PSB wandering around?"

"They're troublesome, true..." Jean nodded. "But our real problem... is the target."

* * *

By the time morning had arrived, the town had been thrown into chaos. Issei merely stood by in the amassed crowd in front of the church, which was engulfed in flames. The entire cathedral was engulfed in a red inferno, raging about and threatening to crash down any second. The Firefighters were trying to stop it from spreading, but even they knew it would be useless. Sooner or later, the flames would destroy the building. It wouldn't matter either way, though. The fire had already done it's job, as any and all evidence of the Fallens were now reduced to smoldering ash.

"...you know, they told me you were good, but this is something else." someone said, standing beside him as they watched the church burn. "Your a step above the others. It's as if you were made for this sort of thing, Ise." Issei turned to his left, seeing a man in his early thirties standing next to him, dressed in a dark blue suit with a black dress shirt, and a green tie. A black briefcase was held in his hands. He was relatively young, possessing angular features and narrowed, yet sharp brown eyes, and black spiky hair. In his mouth was a cigarette. "We've received new intel. A group of Contractors arrived in Kuoh last night. According to the information, they're foreign agency. French, probably." He took a quick drag of his smoke before exhaling the polluted air, creating a black cloud. "I doubt I have to remind you about your position here."

"...no."

"Good. Just want to let you know." The man nodded as he pulled out a portable ash tray to snuff out the cancer stick.

Issei looked back at the man for a short while before looking back at the burning building. "Why is one of the executives here?" he asked. "You wouldn't show up here just to tell us about a threat."

"The incident brought up a lot of attention, Ise." the man replied, his eyes trained forward. "The Devils know there is a Contractor here. The PSB is aware that BK-201 is present in Kuoh. And now, we have a group of Contractors, who may or may not be aware that BK-201 is also here. In other words, three groups in one town, and three boys who have secrets." He tossed the dead cigarette to the ground, then grinding his foot into it. "You need to be careful."

"I'm fully aware of the consequences." Issei said, not at all concerned. "And what about the Fallen Angel?"

The man sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "Other than having her body fried out, she'll be fine." he said. "In all honesty, it's a wonder how she's even still alive after being pumped full of millions of volts. Then again, she IS a Fallen Angel, so she must be pretty sturdy." He gave the boy a questionable look. "Why did you bring her back with you? It's rather irrational."

"I believed she had information regarding the movement of the package." he answered. "Whether or not she does is up for debate. I take it the organization will erase her memory of the event?"

The man shrugged. "That's currently up for debate." he said. "According to the report Motohama submitted, she appears to have taken a liking to you. We might be able to use that."

"...I see." A liking to him? He just couldn't see it. Why would the enemy take an interest in him that way? It was just pointless.

"Women are a fickle thing," the man said briskly, as if reading his thoughts. "You can never really understand them. At any rate, we'll look into the package's whereabouts. For now, deal with the Contractors." He turned around, patting the boy on the shoulder. "Give Mao and the others my regards."

Issei nodded wordlessly. The man then took his leave, vanishing from the crowd.

Issei was then left alone with his thoughts. So a foreign syndicate was after the package as well? He couldn't let that be...it just wouldn't do. Not at all.

Once he found them...he'd erase them.

Unknown to the brunette, someone was watching him from within the back of the crowd. Though most of her face was obscured, her lime-green hair easily fell out from beneath the cap, and the smile that crossed her face.

"I'm glad to see you doing well...Issei-kun~" she spoke softly.

It was good to see him doing well. It was also good to see that he had grown stronger. She had heard many things in the few years, and she was more than impressed with what she heard. While she did not see Yin, Motohama, or Matsuda, she was sure they were doing well. Of course, she didn't come here simply to visit an old friend... she wanted to see his progress. She wanted to see how strong the Red Dragon of the organization she once worked for was doing.

Oh, how she wished she could run up to him and give that adorable, lovable little boy a hug! But, for now, she must relent. It was too soon for him. She would have to wait, wait for the right opportunity.

She would settle watching from a distance. After all...she had all the time in the world.

* * *

"...I apologize for calling you out, especially since you were in the middle of something."

"Oh, no, it's quite alright. I was getting bored anyway."

At an unknown location, somewhere in the United Kingdoms, specifically in the city of London, a meeting was taking place. One was a bureaucrat, dressed in a sharp, dark brown suit with a thinning head, a well-trimmed mustache found at the upper lip with a pair of thin-rimmed glasses. He was sitting behind a desk, a manila folder laid out on his desk, which was open for the other occupant of the room to read. He was younger, likely in his late twenties, with light blonde hair and dark blue eyes. Unlike his superior, he was dressed in a white suit with a blue dress shirt, a red tie wrapped around the overturned neck collar of the shirt.

"So, what's all of this about?" the blonde man asked. "You wouldn't call me out away from a job just to apologize."

The bureaucrat sighed, resting his head on his hands. "Tell me, how much do you know about the Grigori?"

"Just about what everyone else aware of that nasty little world knows." he shrugged, a wistful smile clear across his face. "A group made of up Fallen Angels, specifically the first of the Fallen. They're the ruling body among the Fallens, and at the head of the group is the former Seraphim, Azazel, who, from what I've been told, is something along the lines of a Sacred Gear fanatic."

"Well, the Grigori is currently facing some heat right now..." the man informed, catching the blonde man's interest. "...from within itself."

Oh, now he was intrigued. "Go on."

"Among Azazel's most trusted officers is a Cadre by the name of Kokabiel. According to one of our spies in the Vatican... he's just stolen the Excaliburs."

"Really now?" His interest was piqued even more. Stolen the Excaliburs? If it were anyone else they would've been quite insane, as an act of theft on that level from the Church could be seen as a sign of aggression. If they weren't careful, another war between the factions could start. But knowing who the culprit is, that that is exactly what he was aiming for.

Kokabiel. Once known as the Angel of Stars, the Angel said to possess the power of the cosmos. And known infamously as a Warmonger.

While he didn't know much about Kokabiel, he knew the stories. Some say he was dissatisfied with the outcome of the war, and sought a more favorable, more appropriate end to it with the coming of a second one. Others say he was livid about the decision of the ceasefire, and refused to accept it. Regardless of what was true, the fact remained that Kokabiel wanted a war.

And stealing the Vatican's most treasured weapons just might start it. "So, in other words..." the blonde man smiled thinly, clearly realizing why his superior called him in. "You want me to retake the Excaliburs, and return them to the Vatican, as a sign of good faith for future cooperation?"

The man nodded. "More or less. We're not just working with the Church, however. We're collaborating with another organization."

The agent raised an eyebrow. "And who might this organization be?"

"They call themselves... Gate Royale."

* * *

"Foreign agents?" Matsuda asked as he chewed on a piece of pockey, reading a comic book held in his hands while he rested on the sofa. "So, France also wants the package?"

"No, not necessarily." Mao answered, lying atop the coffee table. "From the intel, it seems like they're after the Contractor, Havoc. It's understandable, when you think about it. She's a survivor from the Heaven's Conflict. The chances of her having any information about Heaven's Gate is very high."

"I see..." Motohama nodded. It would make sense. There are not too many people who possess knowledge of the Heavens Gate incident...and information like that was invaluable.

Naturally, it would make sense if the organization would want to obtain her. However, they were more focused on retrieving the package.

They couldn't let the Package fall into the hands of the Grigori. Who knew what they would use it for? Although, having information about the Heavens Gate event would be a nice bonus.

"So... what do we do?" Matsuda asked, looking at the glasses-wearing teen. "We go after them both, or what?"

Motohama pondered the situation carefully. As things stood, they had to find the package, which had been moved away after eliminating the Fallens stationed here. However, their actions have also aroused the suspicion of the Public Safety Bureau, which was now present in Kuoh. To make things worse, a group of Contractors were also after Havoc, who was with the package. If they discovered it, their mission would be compromised. As things stood, they needed to eliminate them while also being discreet about the targets' elimination while retrieving the package.

The real question... was what the best course of action was?

He was usually the strategist of the group. But even he can see that this mission has gotten quite complicated.

"We've hit a snag, I take it?"

"Sadly, yes." he sighed. From the way he sees it, the only outcome that could grant them the best results ideally would be snuffing out the foreign syndicate first. The less interference the better.

Another sigh escaped him. "How troublesome..."

* * *

Life 2: Reared Chaos


End file.
